Our member centres
Rape Crisis England & Wales is the membership organisation for Rape Crisis centres in England and Wales.
Our member Rape Crisis centres deliver specialist services to women and girls affected by sexual violence in England & Wales.
Some of them also provide services for men and boys.
Why should you contact one of our centres?
In the video below, Magdalena Sek, centre coordinator at Leicester Rape Crisis, explains why contacting your local Rape Crisis centre could be an important step in helping you to find support.
Who can go to a Rape Crisis centre?
Rape Crisis centres provide support and services for women affected by all forms of sexual violence, not just rape.
This includes support and services for women who:
- Have recently experienced rape, sexual assault, sexual abuse or another type of sexual violence.
- Experienced rape, sexual assault, sexual abuse or another type of sexual violence years or decades ago.
- Are an adult victims or survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
- Have experienced sexual harassment.
- Have been sexually exploited.
- Are thinking about reporting something to the police, whether it happened recently or a long time ago.
- Don’t want to report anything to the police.
- Aren’t sure how to talk about what happened to them.
This list isn’t complete – if your experience of sexual violence doesn’t fit here, we are still here for you.
Many centres also support young women and girls, and men and boys.
What services are offered?
Counselling
Most Rape Crisis Centres offer free one-to-one counselling to women who have experienced rape, sexual assault, sexual abuse and other types of sexual violence.
Some also provide counselling for girls, men and boys.
ISVA/advocacy
Many Rape Crisis Centres provide specialist services for people who want to, or are thinking about, reporting to the police.
These specialist staff are called advocacy workers or ISVAs.
Helplines
Rape Crisis England & Wales provides the national Live Chat Helpline.
Rape Crisis South London provides the national telephone helpline. Call 0808 802 9999 between 12:00-14:30 and 19:00-21:30 every day of the year.
Some centres also offer helplines that provide anonymous, confidential emotional support by phone, email or webchat.
Other services
Many of our centres also provide different types of support and therapy. This could include art therapy, mindfulness, or emotional support.
These might take place in one-to-one sessions or in a group.
Get in touch with your local centre to find out more.